Pencil-sharpener.



No. 722,826. l PATENTED MAR. 17, 1903. J. H. PASSETT & J. E. WARREN.

PENCIL SHARPBNER-` APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 12, 1902.

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-mww 'S w ML f K Sb UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JAMES H. FASSETT, OF NASHUA, AND JOHN E. WARREN, OF GREENFIELD,l

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

PENCIL-SHARP'ENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent" No. 722,826, dated March 17, 1903. Application ledAugust l2, 1902. Serial No. 119,376. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES H. FAssET'r, of Nashua, and JOHN E. WARREN, of Greenfield, in the county of Hillsboro and State vof New Hampshire, citizens of the United States,have jointly invented a new and useful Improvement in Pencil-Sharpeners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to devices for sharpening pencils, and has for its object to provide a pencil-Sharpener which is efficient in use and cheap in construction and which insures that the lead of the pencil will not be broken during the operation of sharpening.

Our invention consists in the pencil-sharpener and in the combinations of mechanisms hereinafter described and claimed.

One feature of our invention lies in the means devised for giving automatically tothe rotarysharpening device a progressive longitudinal movement toward the pencil. By these means the cutting operation is performed without undue shock with its attendant splintering of the wood and breaking of the lead. Moreover, the control of the feeding of the sharpening device to the pencil-is taken from the operator and made automatic, positive, regular, and gradual. Pencil-sharpeners are often used by school-children and. other unskilled operators, and the provision made for taking from them the control ofthe feed and for making it automatic results in many obvious advantages.

Another feature of our inventionresides in the means provided for supporting the pointed end of the pencil against the sharpening device. In our new pencil-Sharpener these means are made yielding and comprise a piece of spring metal so secured in the frame that its free end bears against and supports the pointed end of the pencil. The support being yielding, a slight vibratoryrmotion is permitted the pointed end of the pencil, with the result that the lead is preserved intact and that a smooth sharpened end is produced on the pencil.

A third feature of our invention consists in the cap for covering the cutting-knives. This cap is preferably secured to the frame and is provided with an aperture to permit I access to the cutter-plate-securing screw,with an aperture through which fall the wood and lead removed by the sharpening device and with a slot for the entrance of the pointed end of the pencil.

A fourth feature of our invention is the means devised for limiting the inward longitudinal movement of the pencil, so as to position the pencil relatively to the sharpening 6o device. These means comprise an L-shaped piece of flat spring metal secured in a slot in the cap. The pencil is forced in lengthwise until its pointed end strikes the free end of the spring metal. adj usted automatically in position, and nothing is left to the' judgment of the operator. It results from this that the pencil is automatically and uniformly held in the best position for being properly sharpened.

A fifth feature of our invention is found in means provided for holding the pencil securely while it is rotated. These means are a series of spring-metal strips secured to the hollow rotary shaft, through which the pencil is passed. This device is simple and efficient.

In the drawings illustrating the principle of our invention and the best mode in which By these means the pencil is vwe have contemplated applying that princi- 8o ple, `Figure l is a side elevation of our new pencil-Sharpener, a part of the mechanism being broken away for greater clearness. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2 2 of Fig.

l. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view herein- 85 afterreferred to. Fig. 4 is a central sectional view of the cap, and Fig. 5 is a detail showing the cam ratchet-wheel in edge elevation.

Journaled in the frame et is the shaft h, fastV 9o upon which are the driving-gear c and the beveled gear d, preferably formed integral with said driving-gear c. The beveled gear d meshes with the beveled gear e, mounted in the standards f and fast upon a hollow shaft IOO 3.) The other end of said shaft Z is formed with a disk lm, to which the cutter-plate n is detachably secured b v the thumb-screw o. Free to rotate on the journal-bearing of the shaft Z is the cam ratchet-wheel .19. (Shown in Fig. 5.) The edge of the hub q of said ratchet-wheel p is a cam-surface, against which abuts one end of a pin r, the other end of which bears against the disk m. A spiral spring s is interposed between the inner face of the pinion j and the opposed face of the journal-bearing of the shaft L'. (See Fig. 3.) A collar t, secured to the said journal-bearing, serves as a suitable means to hold the cam ratchet-Wheel p in place on said journalbearing, which therefore serves as a shaft for said cam ratchet-wheel p.

Secured to the frame a., near the top thereof, is the cap or cover u, slotted at n and formed with a central opening, through which projects the head of the thumb-screw o. (See Fig. 4.) Secured to the cap u is a fiat L- shaped spring w, the free end a: of which projects inwardly to form a bearing for the point of the pencil, and thereby serves to position the pencil properly relatively to the cutter. A flat springy is secured in an upright position to the frame a and gives the pointed end of the pencil a yielding support,which prevents the lead from being broken.

The operation of our new pencil-Sharpener will now be readily understood. By means of the handle a' the driving-gear c is turned, thereby turning the pinionj and rotating the cutter-plate 'n with its integral radial knives. Also the beveled gear e is caused to rotate, thereby rotating the pencil, Vwhich passes through the hollow shaft g and is held firmly clasped by the spring-clasps h. Once in each revolution of the driving-gear c the stud 'L' engages a tooth on the cam ratchet-wheel p, and thereby the said cam ratchet-wheel is given a step-by-step rotation. The cam edge on the hub q of said cam ratchet-wheel causes the pin r to press forward (or toward the pencil) the diskm with its attached cutter-plate n. Thus the knives are fed gradually to the pencil, and the pencil is sharpened progressively and without shock and splintering of the wood. This is an important feature, since it insures that the lead of the pencil will not be broken and that a fine surface willbe vgiven to the sharpened end. The fiat upright spring y allows the pointed end of the pencil to yield and to vibrate, and thereby prevents the lead of the pencil from being broken, as would probably be the case were a rigid mounting used.

What we claim isl. In a pencil-Sharpener, the combination of a pencil-holding mechanism; a sharpening device; a driving mechanism therefor; means driven by said driving mechanism for feeding said sharpening device to the pencil; and means for automatically restoring said sharpening device to its initial position.

2. In a pencil-Sharpener, the combination of a driving mechanism; a longitudinallyslidable, cutter-carrying shaft driven thereby; and mechanism driven by said driving mechanism for reciprocating said cutter-carrying shaft longitudinally. A

3. In a pencil-Sharpener, the combination with a supporting-frame and a driving mechanism mounted therein, of a rotatable member formed with a cam-su rface, and driven by said driving mechanism; a cutter-carrying shaft; a cutting device on said shaft; means interposed between said shaft and said rotatable member by which said shaft is automatically moved longitudinally in said frame; and a pencil-holding device.

4. In a pencil-Sharpener, the combination with a supporting-frame and a driving mechanism mounted therein, of a longitudinallyslidable cutter-carrying shaft rotated by said mechanism; a cutting device on said shaft; a pencil-holding device rotated by said driving mechanism; a ratchet-wheel formed with a cam and rotated by said driving mechanism; means interposed between said ratchet-wheel and said shaft whereby the rotation of said ratchet wheel causes said cutter carrying shaft to move longitudinally toward the pencil; and means for restoring said cutter-carrying shaft to its initial position.

5. A pencil-Sharpener made up of the following instrumentalities viz. ,a rotatable pencil-holder; a sharpening device; a longitudinally-slidable shaft upon which said device is mounted; mechanism for reciprocating said shaft to feed the sharpening device to the pencil gradually and to cause it to recede therefrom when the sharpening operation is finished; and a driving mechanism.

6. A device for feedinga sharpening device to the pencil in apencil-sharpener comprising a ratchet-wheel formed with a cam-surface; means connecting said ratchet-wheel with a longitudinally-slidable shaft; said longitudinally-slidable shaft; a sharpening device on said shaft; and a driving mechanism.

7. In a pencil-Sharpener, the combination of a supporting-frame; a pencil-holding mechanism; a sharpening device; a driving mechanism therefor; a cap for covering the sharpening device; and a spring member mounted on said cap for positioning the pencil.

8. In a pencil-Sharpener, the combination of a supporting-frame; a driving mechanism; a pencil-holding mechanism; a rotary sharpening device; means for reciprocating said device to and from the pencil; a cap formed with a slot; and a spring in said slot for positioning the pencil relatively to the sharpening device.

9. In a pencil-sharpener, the combination of a supporting-frame; a driving mechanism; a pencil-holding mechanism; a sharpening device; and a spring member for limiting the inward longitudinal movement of the pencil to position the pencil relatively to said sharpening device.

. 10. In a pencil-Sharpener, the combination IOO IIO

of a supporting-frame; a driving mechanism; a pencil-holding mechanism; a sharpenin g device; means for reciprocating said device to and from the pencil; and means for limiting the inward longitudinal movement of the pencil to position the pencil relatively to said sharpening device.

1l. The combination in a pencil-Sharpener of a sharpening device, a feeding mechanism for feeding said sharpening device to the pencil, a rotary pencil-holdin g device, and a driving mechanism which actuates said sharpening device, feeding mechanism, and pencilholding device.

12. In a pencil-Sharpener, the combination with a driving mechanism; a rotary sharpening device; and a rotary pencil-holding device; of a yielding member mounted upon a supportingframe and adapted to form a nesses.

JAMES H. FASSETT. JOHN E. WARREN. Witnesses:

EZRA M. SMITH, SILAs M. SMITH. 

